He Is Risen

By President David O. McKay (1873–1970)

Ninth President of the Church

David O. McKay was born on September 8, 1873. He was ordained an Apostle on April 9, 1906, at age 32, and on April 9, 1951, he was sustained as the ninth President of the Church. The following is excerpted from an address he gave at the April 1966 general conference. For the full address, see Conference Report, Apr. 1966, 55–59.

An unwavering faith in Christ is the most important need of the world today.

If a miracle is a supernatural event whose antecedent forces are beyond man’s finite wisdom, then the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most stupendous miracle of all time. In it stand revealed the omnipotence of God and the immortality of man.

The Resurrection is a miracle, however, only in the sense that it is beyond man’s comprehension and understanding. To all who accept it as fact, it is but a manifestation of a uniform law of life. …

Establish it as a fact that Christ did take up his body and appeared as a glorified, resurrected being, and you answer the question of the ages: “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14).

Witnesses of the Resurrection

Behold My Hands, by Jeff Ward

That the literal Resurrection of Christ from the grave was a reality to the disciples who knew Him intimately is a certainty. In their minds there was absolutely no doubt. They were witnesses of the fact; they knew because their eyes beheld, their ears heard, their hands felt the corporeal presence of the risen Redeemer.

Peter, the chief Apostle, on the occasion when the eleven had met to choose one to take the place of Judas Iscariot, said, “Wherefore of these men … must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection” (Acts 1:21–22). …

On another occasion Peter declared before their enemies, the very men who had put Jesus to death on the cross: “Ye men of Israel, hear these words. … This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses” (Acts 2:22, 32). …

Additional Witnesses

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands with Peter, with Paul, with James, and with all the other early Apostles who accepted the Resurrection not only as being literally true, but as the consummation of Christ’s divine mission on earth.

Eighteen hundred years after Jesus died upon the cross, the Prophet Joseph Smith declared that the risen Lord appeared to him, saying: “I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other﻿—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:17). …

If Joseph Smith’s testimony stood alone, it would be, as Christ said of His testimony when He spoke of Himself, of no avail; but Jesus had God’s testimony and that of the Apostles. And Joseph Smith had other witnesses [who] corroborated [his] testimony, the truth of which was made known by the appearance to them of the angel Moroni. …

… The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [also] proclaims the glorious vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith:

“And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!” (D&C 76:22). …

In the light of such unimpeachable testimonies as given by the ancient Apostles﻿—testimonies dating from a few years subsequent to the event itself﻿—in the light of that most marvelous revelation in this age of the living Christ, it seems difficult indeed to understand how men can still reject Him and can doubt the immortality of man.

What We Need Today

An unwavering faith in Christ is the most important need of the world today. It is more than a mere feeling. It is power that moves into action, and should be in human life the most basic of all motivating forces. …

If only men would “do His will,” instead of looking hopelessly at the dark and gloomy tomb, they would turn their eyes heavenward and know that Christ is risen! …

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints declares to all the world that Christ is the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world! No true follower is satisfied to accept Him merely as a great reformer, the ideal teacher, or even as the one perfect man. The Man of Galilee is﻿—not figuratively, but literally﻿—the Son of the living God. …

Truly Born Again

No man can sincerely resolve to apply in his daily life the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth without sensing a change in his whole being. The phrase “born again” has a deeper significance than what many people attach to it. … Happy is the person who has truly sensed the uplifting, transforming power that comes from this nearness to the Savior, this kinship to the living Christ. I am thankful that I know that Christ is my Redeemer. …

The message of the Resurrection … is the most comforting, the most glorious ever given to man, for when death takes a loved one from us, our sorrowing hearts are assuaged by the hope and divine assurance expressed in the words: “He is not here; he is risen!” [see Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6].

With all my soul I know that death is conquered by Jesus Christ, and because our Redeemer lives, so shall we.